MPs call for protections to combat ‘pervasive Ageism’

According to MPs, ‘widespread’ and “culturally embedded” ageism calls for stronger protections from age discrimination. They also call for a strategy that addresses the challenges and opportunities presented by the UK’s ageing population.

The Women and Equalities Committee recommends that the UK government evaluate the strategy in Wales which includes a commissioner for the older population and a local authority network of older people’s advocates in local authorities with the aim to replicate a similar framework.

The report says that the existing age discrimination laws and Public Sector Equality Duty are “failing” older people because protections are insufficient and are rarely enforced. The group is asking the government to fund and commission a comprehensive review of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

The MPs discovered that ageist stereotypes are prevalent in the UK media, and contribute to normalising ageist attitudes. It includes depictions of older people being frail, incompetent or helpless, or, conversely, as “boomers” who hoard wealth.

Age is treated differently than the other eight protected characteristics under the Equality Act because the law allows for “objective justification”. Objective justification for other protected characteristics, such as sex, disability or sexual orientation, is only permitted in cases of indirect discrimination. This arises when policies are applied to all but disadvantage one group.

It means that an employer can treat older employees less favourably if it can justify “proportionate measures to achieve a legitimate goal”.

The Report called for the government to fund a review by the EHRC of the effectiveness of age discrimination protections, including:

• The impact of objectively justifying direct age discrimination
• The PSED is adequate, but there are more positive duties that should be imposed in England.
• The case for employers taking “reasonable” steps to prevent discrimination based on age
• Options to better reflect the intersectional nature age discrimination in the Equality Act, including enacting section 14 on dual traits.

Sarah Owen, Labour MP and chair of the Women and Equalities Committee said, “The Committee report clearly shows that age discrimination in the UK is widespread and often minimized when compared with other forms of racism. In order to combat the pervasive ageist culture in the UK, a comprehensive review of age-discrimination laws is necessary.

The UK’s ageing population is growing and becoming more diverse. This presents significant challenges and opportunities across departments. Therefore, the absence of a strategy from government on how to address these issues is worrying.

The WEC concluded that despite the increase in older age groups in the UK (11 million people aged 65 and older in England and Wales), the UK’s equality framework does not focus on ageing and demographic changes.

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